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  </script></head><body><div id="wrapper"><header><div id="header"><div><div><div class="logo noPrint"><a href="http://tomcat.apache.org/"><img alt="Tomcat Home" src="./images/tomcat.png"></a></div><div style="height: 1px;"></div><div class="asfLogo noPrint"><a href="http://www.apache.org/" target="_blank"><img src="./images/asf-feather.png" alt="The Apache Software Foundation" style="width: 266px; height: 83px;"></a></div><h1>Apache Tomcat 8</h1><div class="versionInfo">
          Version 8.0.39,
          <time datetime="2016-11-09">Nov 9 2016</time></div><div style="height: 1px;"></div><div style="clear: left;"></div></div></div></div></header><div id="middle"><div><div id="mainLeft" class="noprint"><div><nav><div><h2>Links</h2><ul><li><a href="index.html">Docs Home</a></li><li><a href="http://wiki.apache.org/tomcat/FAQ">FAQ</a></li><li><a href="#comments_section">User Comments</a></li></ul></div><div><h2>User Guide</h2><ul><li><a href="introduction.html">1) Introduction</a></li><li><a href="setup.html">2) Setup</a></li><li><a href="appdev/index.html">3) First webapp</a></li><li><a href="deployer-howto.html">4) Deployer</a></li><li><a href="manager-howto.html">5) Manager</a></li><li><a href="realm-howto.html">6) Realms and AAA</a></li><li><a href="security-manager-howto.html">7) Security Manager</a></li><li><a href="jndi-resources-howto.html">8) JNDI Resources</a></li><li><a href="jndi-datasource-examples-howto.html">9) JDBC DataSources</a></li><li><a href="class-loader-howto.html">10) Classloading</a></li><li><a href="jasper-howto.html">11) JSPs</a></li><li><a href="ssl-howto.html">12) SSL/TLS</a></li><li><a href="ssi-howto.html">13) SSI</a></li><li><a href="cgi-howto.html">14) CGI</a></li><li><a href="proxy-howto.html">15) Proxy Support</a></li><li><a href="mbeans-descriptors-howto.html">16) MBeans Descriptors</a></li><li><a href="default-servlet.html">17) Default Servlet</a></li><li><a href="cluster-howto.html">18) Clustering</a></li><li><a href="balancer-howto.html">19) Load Balancer</a></li><li><a href="connectors.html">20) Connectors</a></li><li><a href="monitoring.html">21) Monitoring and Management</a></li><li><a href="logging.html">22) Logging</a></li><li><a href="apr.html">23) APR/Native</a></li><li><a href="virtual-hosting-howto.html">24) Virtual Hosting</a></li><li><a href="aio.html">25) Advanced IO</a></li><li><a href="extras.html">26) Additional Components</a></li><li><a href="maven-jars.html">27) Mavenized</a></li><li><a href="security-howto.html">28) Security Considerations</a></li><li><a href="windows-service-howto.html">29) Windows Service</a></li><li><a href="windows-auth-howto.html">30) Windows Authentication</a></li><li><a href="jdbc-pool.html">31) Tomcat's JDBC Pool</a></li><li><a href="web-socket-howto.html">32) WebSocket</a></li><li><a href="rewrite.html">33) Rewrite</a></li></ul></div><div><h2>Reference</h2><ul><li><a href="RELEASE-NOTES.txt">Release Notes</a></li><li><a href="config/index.html">Configuration</a></li><li><a href="api/index.html">Tomcat Javadocs</a></li><li><a href="servletapi/index.html">Servlet Javadocs</a></li><li><a href="jspapi/index.html">JSP 2.3 Javadocs</a></li><li><a href="elapi/index.html">EL 3.0 Javadocs</a></li><li><a href="websocketapi/index.html">WebSocket 1.1 Javadocs</a></li><li><a href="http://tomcat.apache.org/connectors-doc/">JK 1.2 Documentation</a></li></ul></div><div><h2>Apache Tomcat Development</h2><ul><li><a href="building.html">Building</a></li><li><a href="changelog.html">Changelog</a></li><li><a href="http://wiki.apache.org/tomcat/TomcatVersions">Status</a></li><li><a href="developers.html">Developers</a></li><li><a href="architecture/index.html">Architecture</a></li><li><a href="funcspecs/index.html">Functional Specs.</a></li><li><a href="tribes/introduction.html">Tribes</a></li></ul></div></nav></div></div><div id="mainRight"><div id="content"><h2>Introduction</h2><h3 id="Table_of_Contents">Table of Contents</h3><div class="text">
<ul><li><a href="#Introduction">Introduction</a></li><li><a href="#Terminology">Terminology</a></li><li><a href="#Directories_and_Files">Directories and Files</a></li><li><a href="#Configuring_Tomcat">Configuring Tomcat</a></li><li><a href="#Where_to_Go_for_Help">Where to Go for Help</a></li></ul>
</div><h3 id="Introduction">Introduction</h3><div class="text">

<p>For administrators and web developers alike, there are some important bits
of information you should familiarize yourself with before starting out. This
document serves as a brief introduction to some of the concepts and
terminology behind the Tomcat container. As well, where to go when you need
help.</p>

</div><h3 id="Terminology">Terminology</h3><div class="text">

<p>In the course of reading these documents, you will run across a number of
terms; some specific to Tomcat, and others defined by the
<a href="http://wiki.apache.org/tomcat/Specifications">Servlet and
JSP specifications</a>.</p>

<ul>
<li><strong>Context</strong> - In a nutshell, a Context is a
    web application.</li>
<li><strong>Term2</strong> - This is it.</li>
<li><strong>Term3</strong> - This is it!</li>
</ul>

</div><h3 id="Directories_and_Files">Directories and Files</h3><div class="text">

<p>Throughout the docs, you'll notice there are numerous references to
<strong>$CATALINA_HOME</strong>. This represents the root of your Tomcat
installation. When we say, "This information can be found in your
$CATALINA_HOME/README.txt file" we mean to look at the README.txt file at the
root of your Tomcat install. Optionally, Tomcat may be configured for multiple
instances by defining <strong>$CATALINA_BASE</strong> for each instance. If
multiple instances are not configured, <strong>$CATALINA_BASE</strong> is the
same as <strong>$CATALINA_HOME</strong>.</p>

<p>These are some of the key tomcat directories:</p>

<ul>
<li><strong>/bin</strong> - Startup, shutdown, and other scripts. The
    <code>*.sh</code> files (for Unix systems) are functional duplicates of
    the <code>*.bat</code> files (for Windows systems).  Since the Win32
    command-line lacks certain functionality, there are some additional
    files in here.</li>
<li><strong>/conf</strong> - Configuration files and related DTDs.  The most
    important file in here is server.xml.  It is the main configuration file
    for the container.</li>
<li><strong>/logs</strong> - Log files are here by default.</li>
<li><strong>/webapps</strong> - This is where your webapps go.</li>
</ul>

</div><h3 id="Configuring_Tomcat">Configuring Tomcat</h3><div class="text">

<p>This section will acquaint you with the basic information used during
the configuration of the container.</p>

<p>All of the information in the configuration files is read at startup,
meaning that any change to the files necessitates a restart of the container.
</p>

</div><h3 id="Where_to_Go_for_Help">Where to Go for Help</h3><div class="text">

<p>While we've done our best to ensure that these documents are clearly
written and easy to understand, we may have missed something.  Provided
below are various web sites and mailing lists in case you get stuck.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that some of the issues and solutions vary between the
major versions of Tomcat.  As you search around the web, there will be
some documentation that is not relevant to Tomcat 8, but
only to earlier versions.</p>

<ul>
<li>Current document - most documents will list potential hangups. Be sure
    to fully read the relevant documentation as it will save you much time
    and effort. There's nothing like scouring the web only to find out that
    the answer was right in front of you all along!</li>
<li><a href="http://wiki.apache.org/tomcat/FAQ">Tomcat FAQ</a></li>
<li><a href="http://wiki.apache.org/tomcat/">Tomcat WIKI</a></li>
<li>Tomcat FAQ at <a href="http://www.jguru.com/faq/home.jsp?topic=Tomcat">jGuru</a></li>
<li>Tomcat mailing list archives - numerous sites archive the Tomcat mailing
    lists. Since the links change over time, clicking here will search
    <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=tomcat+mailing+list+archives">Google</a>.
    </li>
<li>The TOMCAT-USER mailing list, which you can subscribe to
    <a href="http://tomcat.apache.org/lists.html">here</a>. If you don't
    get a reply, then there's a good chance that your question was probably
    answered in the list archives or one of the FAQs.  Although questions
    about web application development in general are sometimes asked and
    answered, please focus your questions on Tomcat-specific issues.</li>
<li>The TOMCAT-DEV mailing list, which you can subscribe to
    <a href="http://tomcat.apache.org/lists.html">here</a>.  This list is
    <strong>reserved</strong> for discussions about the development of Tomcat
    itself.  Questions about Tomcat configuration, and the problems you run
    into while developing and running applications, will normally be more
    appropriate on the TOMCAT-USER list instead.</li>
</ul>

<p>And, if you think something should be in the docs, by all means let us know
on the TOMCAT-DEV list.</p>

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